Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find the collected wisdom of the ages, or at least of our digital download service. We would really like to help everyone personally, but we are very busy making the next stories you will want to hear. So please, use the FAQ if you encounter any problems using our store and downloading your files. We have found that the following solutions solve 99% of the problems reported to us by users. If you have exhausted the remedies below, please email us and we will do our best to solve your problem.

• What are mp3 files?
• What is PayPal?
• What if I have trouble using PayPal?
• What is my username?
• Why do I have a username and password if I buy something here?
• Can you tell me more about the security of your website and store?
• What kind of privacy policy do you have?
• What email address should I use to checkout?
• Can I download your files using a Mac?
• Can I download your files if I use Windows?
• What if my browser isn't mentioned?
• Why can't I log in to access my downloads?
• Why can't I download my mp3 files?
• Why do I get a "cache" error when I try to download my files?
• Why does the audio file start to play when I click it?
• Why can't I download using Safari?
• Why can't I download using Internet Explorer and the Google toolbar?
• Where are the files I downloaded?

Q: What are mp3 files?

A: There are a number of excellent resources on the internet which can help you learn about mp3 files. Try a google search or try Howstufworks or askMP3 for some helpful information. We offer our audio in high quality universal mp3 format, with no DRM, so you can play your audio how and where you want. Of course iTunes, iPods, Windows Media Player, Winamp, and almost every other media player software and hardware will play our files.

 

Q: What is PayPal?

A: Please read about PayPal at their website. Most users of eBay are very familiar with PayPal. It's a quick, secure, convenient way for businesses and regular people to send and receive money over the internet. It allows us to process your credit card payment in real time so we can give you the quickest access possible to your downloadable audio. If you choose PayPal's eCheck option however, you won't be able to access your downloads for a number of days until the eCheck clears.

 

Q: What if I have trouble using PayPal?

A: We can also process your credit card manually at our shipping department. When you choose checkout, just read the text in the green box. You'll see a link for the manual checkout option. Your information is always secure with the most advanced technologies available. Please be aware that when you choose this option, it can take up to two business days for you to be able to access your downloads. So we strongly recommend using PayPal unless you really don't want to or can't. One slightly confusing thing about PayPal is that when you choose a credit card type, you should wait for a couple of seconds before typing in the credit card number. PayPal reloads the page so they can more effectively validate the particular card type, and that takes a second or two. You'll see a logo for your selected card appear, and then it's fine to enter your number. If your number disappears, this is what happened to you. Just enter it again and it will be fine. Also remember that if you choose PayPal's eCheck option however, you won't be able to access your downloads for a number of days until the eCheck clears.

 

Q: What is my username?

A: Your username in our system is your email address. When you check out of our store, you enter that and choose a password.

 

Q: Why do I have a username and password if I buy something here?

A: We need your email address to tell you about your order. When you check out of our store, you enter that and choose a password. After you checkout you can visit our store from any internet connected computer anywhere in the world ( https://www.oddsbodkin.com/store/login.php ), and by entering your username and your password, access the downloadable audio you have purchased.

 

Q: Can you tell me more about the security of your website and store?

A: Sure. For a more detailed explanation, please read this from our Truly Cool webmaster.

 

Q: What kind of privacy policy do you have?

A: We will never share or sell your contact informtion with any other business. Your email address will never end up on a spam list or marketing list because of us. We may email or call you regarding your order, and we do occasionally offer special promotions via email or postal mail, but you can always opt out of either or both at any time by contacting us.

 

Q: What email address should I use to checkout?

A: Using more than one email address can be confusing. To avoid confusion, please make sure you have checked out with the same email address you use for PayPal. If you did not, please email us, as we will need to manually adjust your order so you can access your downloads. Please note you may experience up to a two business day delay accessing your downloads if this is the case.

 

Q: Can I download your files using a Mac?

A: Certainly. Just log in and click a track link to begin downloading. We have tested our digital downloads extensively with Safari, Internet Exporer, Mozilla, and Firefox on Macs, using OS X. We are currently noting some problems downloading Safari on the Mac, which we believe are now solved. Because Mozilla, Firefox, (and the brand new Seamonkey) are all open source browsers, freely available, and increasingly popular, we recommend installing one of them and using them if you encounter problems downloading files. You can still use Safari even after installing one of the above. Just visit mozilla.org and download your flavor of choice for your computer. We have also found that installing one of the many available download managers fixes the Safari problem. Unfortunately, we haven't found a good free download manager for the Mac yet (though there is a great one for Windows, see below). If you know of one, could you please let us know?

 

Q: Can I download your files if I use Windows?

A: But of course. Just log in and click a track link to begin downloading. We have extensively tested Internet Explorer, Mozilla, and Firefox on Windows. We are currently receiving some problem reports with some users who are using Internet Explorer and the Google Toolbar. If you receive an error when trying to download audio from our site, and the error message mentions the word "cache", this is almost certainly your problem. We have reported the error to Google and Microsoft, but in the meantime, we have found that installing a free alternative browser solves the issue. To get any of the Mozilla family browsers, visit mozilla.org. If this seems like too much work, or you don't want to for some other reason, every user that has reported this problem has been able to solve it with the excellent and free Free Download Manager, which is available here: freedownloadmanager.org. It's only a 1.5 meg download, and can resume interrupted transfers (great for dial-up users), makes tracking where your downloads end up on your hard drive much easier, and is FREE!

 

Q: What if my browser isn't mentioned?

A: We have tried to be thorough, but because there are so many excellent, secure, and free alternatives, we recommend using one of them if you have problems with a browser not listed here. We recommend Firefox because it's small (about 5 meg download), secure, free, and fast. It also has an excellent built in download manager which helps new users find their files after downloading. The Mozilla Suite is also an excellent choice (though you should be aware that this is in the process of morphing into Seamonkey, and we haven't had a chance to test this very much yet).

 

Q: Why can't I log in to access my downloads?

A: Your username is the email address you entered on our checkout page (if it's different than your PayPal email address, you need to tell us). Your password is the one you chose on our checkout page.

 

Q: Why can't I download my mp3 files?

A: You should have received an email confirming your payment, including instructions for downloading. You need to login to our site (login links are available on almost every store page in the upper right hand corner). You can also login here: https://www.oddsbodkin.com/store/login.php. Your username is the email address you entered on our checkout page (if it's different than your PayPal email address, you need to tell us). Your password is the one you chose on our checkout page. Then click on "My Download". You will see a list of your available downloads. Just right click (Windows) or hold down the Control key and click (Mac), and you will get a context sensitive pop up menu. Depending on your browser and computer, the text will be slightly different, but you want something along the lines of "Save File As", "Save As", "Save Link As", "Save Link Target As", "Save Target As"...you get the idea. After clicking you will see a dialogue box open with the name of the mp3 you are downloading. Please pay special attention to which folder you are downloading the file to, so you can find it afterwards. For simplicity's sake, we recommend choosing the Desktop, and after the download, moving the file to wherever you wish. On Windows you can also hold down the Shift key while clicking the link, and you will see that same dialogue box.

 

Q: Why do I get a "cache" error when I try to download my files?

A: In every case we've seen so far, it's because the customer is using Internet Explorer and the Google Toolbar. We have reported the error to Google and Microsoft, but in the meantime, we have found that installing either a free download manager or a free alternative browser solves the problem. To get any of the Mozilla family browsers (Firefox, Mozilla Suite, Seamonkey), visit mozilla.org. If this seems like too much work, or you don't want to for some other reason, every user that has reported this problem has been able to solve it with the excellent and free Free Download Manager, which is available here: freedownloadmanager.org. It's only a 1.5 meg download, and can resume interrupted transfers (great for dial-up users), makes tracking where your downloads end up on your hard drive much easier, and is FREE! Please note that FDM is currently Windows only, and we are looking for a free equivalent for the Mac. If you know of one, please let us know.

 

Q: Why does the audio file start to play when I click it?

A: Your browser and media player software are trying to play the file, instead of giving you the download dialogue box. Just right click (Windows) or hold down the Control key and click (Mac), and you will get a context sensitive pop up menu. You can choose to download the file instead of playing it using this menu. Depending on your browser and computer, the text will be slightly different, but what you want is something along the lines of "Save File As", "Save As", "Save Link As", "Save Link Target As", "Save Target As"...you get the idea. After clickng you will see a dialogue box open with the name of the mp3 you are downloading. Please pay special attention to which folder you are downloading the file to, so you can find it afterwards. For simplicity's sake, we recommend choosing the Desktop, and after the download, moving the file to wherever you wish. On Windows you can also hold down the Shift key while clicking the link, and you will see that same dialogue box.

 

Q: Why can't I download using Safari?

A: We have seen some trouble reports with Safari users trying to download their audio. We believe the issue is now resolved. In the meantime, we recommend using one of the free alternatives from the Mozilla Foundation, available here: mozilla.org. Firefox is around 5 megs, is secure, fast, and stable, and you can still use Safari as your main browser.

Q: Why can't I download using Internet Explorer and the Google toolbar?

A: We are currently seeing some trouble reports with some Internet Explorer users who also have Google toolbar installed and are trying to download their audio. We are looking into the matter, and hope to have it solved soon. We have reported the issue to Google and Microsoft. In the meantime, we recommend using one of the free alternatives from the Mozilla Foundation, available here: mozilla.org. Firefox is around 5 megs, is secure, fast, and stable, and you can still use Safari or IE as your main browser. The quickest, easiest, and thus most popular solution to this problem we've found so far is the free and excellent Free Download Manager available here: freedownloadmanager.org. It's only a 1.5 meg download, and can resume interrupted transfers (great for dial-up users), makes tracking where your downloads end up on your hard drive much easier, and is FREE! Please note that FDM is currently Windows only, and we are looking for a free equivalient for the Mac. If you know of one, please let us know.

 

Q:Where are the files I downloaded?

A: On the Mac, you should use Finder or Sherlock to search your hard disk for mp3 files. On Windows you should use Find to search your hard disk for "*.mp3" files. Make sure you are searching the topmost folder of your hard drive. We recommend paying special attention to which folder you are saving any download to. Often saving to the Desktop is the most convenient, after which you can move it anywhere. The Mozilla family of browsers has an integrated download manager which makes it easy to keep track of and view all your downloads. If you use IE on windows, Free Download Manager is an excellent tool to manage your downloads and easily find and view them.